Colorado Wildfires, the Rockies and Urban Fireworks – A Photo Essay

Firefighters are still battling one of the worst wildfires in Colorado history. 346 homes were consumed in the 26-square-mile Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs and it is only 45% contained. 2 lives were lost and 10,000 people remain evacuated.

Photo taken of the Flagstaff fire Saturday night on the way to the Rockies Game. Let it rain!

The Boulder Flagstaff fire is 90% contained. Due to the rugged terrain, firefighters are dousing the flames with buckets of water flown in by helicopter. It has burned 300 acres, but no structures. The Fort Collins High Park Fire burned 259 homes to the ground and one life was lost to the blaze, but it is 100% contained.

When I posted Dancing for Rain, I really did dance, for a couple of minutes anyway. I thought, “Why not?” I was shocked when it started raining. No rain had been forecasted and it was a deluge!

In today’s Daily Camera, Aimee Heckel reported that many local yoga studios held rain meditations for desperately needed moisture. Several local churches held prayer sessions focusing on needed rain. I guess I wasn’t the only one that was surprised and elated by the sudden cloud bursts.

Thunderclouds formed while on our way to Denver and once again, it began to rain. After arriving at Coor’s Field, Danny and I gladly donated some money to the cause. The Rockies matched up to $50,000 Saturday night. Go Rockies!

It was in the 90’s when we entered the stadium so Danny and I ordered a cold beer. Yes I got ID’d and no you can’t see my date of birth.

Hey Jumbotron man! Look at me!

I wondered how much it would cost to advertise Susie Lindau’s Wild Ride up on the scoreboard. Hmmm…

Hot and dedicated fans. 93 degrees in the shade at 6:00 PM.

Chocolate covered strawberries and bananas. Yum!

Oh yah. The game. The Padres throw us out at 1st. Dang!

“What are you doin’? I want to get home and surf in San Diego before practice tomorrow. Dude. Let’s finish this.”

Todd Helton is our last hope. Oh well. Rockies go down fighting and lose 4-8. We’ll get the Padres next time!

Off to check out the Denver scene. A classic~

It’s a roof top party!

While looking back at Coor’s Field, the fireworks began.

Urban Fireworks! One of the few ways Coloradans are going to see them this year.

Don’t know why I haven’t been receiving notices of new posts by you. Anyway, it just seemed weird to read about the fires then segue into the game. But life goes on and I enjoyed (though that might be the wrong choice of words for your opening paragraphs) your post. As for fireworks, we started out last Saturday night to see them (the lake was getting a jump on the 4th) but we weren’t the only ones with that idea and drove 45 minutes to get stuck in the traffic for parking. We saw a bit of fireworks from our car as we turned around and drove home. Going to try the park tonight. Have a happy and safe one!

You can unfollow me and then hit follow again. That will click it back in. Thanks!

It can be crazy getting to the fireworks and then finding a spot to sit! We didn’t have them this year.
While the fires in Colorado are finally getting under control, huge ones have started up in Wyoming. It was so smokey yesterday, we couldn’t see the mountains just a few miles away.
Thanks so much and have a great rest of the week!

You have started quite a tradition here i am gonna have to dance here too cos the rain god wont take anything less than a dance i think..and may be he will say why should i rain here when i get a dance by Sussie when i rain in Colorado…
loved the video.. oh rain please bless me too :)

As a Yankee fan myself, I must say that you Rockies have a lot of soul. And while I could never bring myself to love an expansion team (On account of my Yanks losing to the Diamondbacks AND Marlins in the World Series in ’01 and ’03 respectively), you make me want to at the very least, like your home town team.
Ms. Colorado? You’re alright.

LOL, they carded everyone. I thought you might have paid them Susie! What a game! The Padres wanted to come home to surf. Why of course. And chocolate covered strawberries at a baseball game? What is this world coming to? Where’s the Hot Dogs? Anyway, so glad they’e getting a handle on the fires. This situation is a nightmare. My kids live in Arizona and they’ve had fires too. If this keeps up, they’ll be singing, “Where have all the pine trees gone?” I wish for you and your family a wonderful summer Susie! :)

Geez, No I didn’t pay them to card me! I am sure that they carded everyone over a certain age. Not sure what the point of that was. :)
Oh don’t, worry they had all the regular junk food too!
It is scary dry in so many States while others have been getting so much rain. I am still dancing for rain!
Thanks Karen and happy summer to you!

Susie…would you please make a quick trip to Michigan and dance here? Brownish green grass isn’t all that pretty.

Seriously though, I’m so glad you got some much needed rain. And I admire you for not only making a trip out to see fireworks…but sitting in a crowded stadium to watch a ballgame…in the 90+ degree heat. You are definitely a better person than I am. I am a wimp. I go where the a/c is-or stay home and hug mine. :)

Usually it cools down at 6 at night, but it had been so hot! Tonight is the first night that it has been cool! Showers blew through here and brought a front although not much more than a couple of drops fell.
I will keep your State in mind the next time I dance! My son just got back from Electric Forest in Michigan. I guess it was amazing!
Have a great 4th of July and thanks for reading!

I’m much more awake now than I was late last night, so I can do my comment justice – although I’ve got to watch the clock and be brief or I’ll be late for a very important meeting.

1. Really loved your photos, especially the ones of Coors Field, which when I clicked on, went to full sized images, and were even more impressive with such high resolution. Please tell me what kind of camera you used.

2. Absolutely LOVED the expression of delight on your face when you got ID’d for alcohol purchase! :-D

3. Those chocolate covered strawberries and bananas things look somewhat phallic, and I’m not implying anything about you, but more about me, and certain ideas I now have about trying to make them at home for my wife’s enjoyment. Her birthday is July 5th, and maybe I could really surprise her with them! Or should I just be more traditional (and safe) and stick with a dozen roses, and chocolate covered strawberries in a bowl? You opinion here is welcome! :-)

4. How come no video of you rain dancing? You know how much I enjoy watching your dancing, and I’ll bet that watching you rain dancing would be even better!

5. We might see the fireworks, but to see them here in Boston is a major logistical undertaking, since we are competing with about 500,000 other folks who want to see them too. But it can be done, and done well, since I’ve done it, and I even got us a prime viewing location after arriving just after sunset, when everyone else around us had been there to stake their claims many hours ago since early that morning.

As I think about it, I should blog about my strategy that evening, since it could be interesting and amusing reading. It involved sneaking my party through a long and narrow run behind “Porta Potty Alley” (not popular at all with my guests at first…) and then the bribing of certain municipal employees, who must remain forever anonymous, since I might need their assistance again, and they are no help to me if no longer employed or in prison.

And… that’s ALL the time I have left for this one, so Happy July 4th to you and yours, Susie Lindau! :-) You are a trip, and a trip that I enjoy taking! :-D

I am so glad you came by to take another trip or to trip-out or to take another wild trippy ride!
The camera was on my Droid phone. I love it, but like everything, there is a learning curve and it took me a while to download the video.
The banana treat I will leave, between you and your wife. wait…well you know what I mean…
No rain-dance videos yet. I thought everyone could get the gist of it from the photo!
I was in Boston and it is INSANE! Sounds like a blog post in the making.
Have a happy 4th and light a sparkler for me!
Thanks so much Chris!

Happy 4th of July Susie!!! :-D I hope you’re out doing something fun and your weather is not too hot to be comfortable.

We have our own plans for seeing the massive and mind blowing fireworks extravaganza in Boston this evening, but with an entirely different different approach this time, than the last time I previously mentioned. This time, instead of coming in overland, we will try to the best possible viewing position, via The Charles River in our canoe.

The logistics are formidable and even potentially dangerous, but I’ve planned carefully, and to the point that I’ve taken our mission from being an insane idea, to a calculated risk, with a high probability of success. If we survive our mission, I’ll let you know how it all works out. Lol :-D

You took those photos with your droid phone??? I’m stunned and amazed! Smart phones are getting sooo smart, that sometimes I worry that soon they will become our Lords and Masters! Lol

Sorry I even mentioned the strawberry & banana thing – I need to have a stern conversation with myself about “self censoring”. But thanks for your sensible answer and for deflecting my TMI with some humor.

No need for a rain dance video, I was just doing some good natured teasing on that one. :-)

Very cool that you were in Boston! Was it for the July 4th celebration? Cause most folks from other parts on the country think that Boston is INSANE, every day, even on an average day, and most of all, because of our insane Boston driving! Lol

Thanks for your happy 4th wishes, and though I may not light a sparkler for you (only cause I don’t have any) I’ll still think of you, as I turn on my improvised running lights for our canoe tonight after dark, so that we have a better chance of not getting split in two and sunk by very large power boats with very drunk captains at the wheel!

I live in a wildfire prone area as well and it is one of the most scary things to hear those borade (? sp) planes flying over your house and watching the pink stuff rain down all around you. I’ve had at least 2 really close calls.

I’ve got a cousin in Fort Collins (we’re not close). Wonder how her family is doing.

That must be so scary to hear them overhead and know the fire isn’t too far away. I hope your cousin is okay too. That fire is contained now and rain is on its way. Yeah!
Thank you so much Patricia! Now get out there and dance!

Funny Ted. He carded both me and Danny, so there! I had to take a photo! LOl!
The fires are still causing smoke in the foothills, but I can see the mountains a little better today. We did get rain again last night.
I just read that firefighters are “back-burning” to help build a perimeter in Boulder and hope to have the fire contained tomorrow. I think it will take longer than that…
Have a happy 4th!

Oh, your rain dance worked, Susie! This was such a relief to read, although I know you’re not out of the woods yet. And you got so many cool pictures at the game! I love the one of you getting ID’d, and the girl selling chocolate-covered fruit (man, that sounds so good, but a very odd ballpark treat, LOL)!

We’re going to Peppermeister’s aunt’s house tomorrow – she always hosts a small barbecue because she lives within walking distance of fireworks. We can bring Uncle Jesse; he’s never seen fireworks, but I think he can handle it. You should hear Peppermeister sneeze.

Thanks Jules! It will be a long summer…
How has Uncle Jesse not seen fireworks? Hey you could show him my video so he is prepared! LOL!
Tell the Peppermeister, “Guzuntight!” for me!
Have a fab barbecue!

I feel for you folks out west. I live in the midwest where it, too, is dry. A storm raced through my hometown Sunday and blowing trees and power lines over and knocking out the power. We got rain, but we need more. We were out of town and we missed the storm. Yesterday, I heard the mayor cancelled the parade and fireworks largely due to the trees down along the parade route. I’ll get to enjoy fireworks and a parade and a fun fourth, but i will be thinking of the folks back home and all the other folks who’ll miss fireowrks on the fourth.

Hey Susie! Really great post and love the ball game pictures. :) I saw all the news about the fires and was wondering about you. Glad you are o.k.

OH! Also wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. I’m sure you have all kinds but wasn’t sure if this one had made your mantle. You are awesome (I mean hideous) so I thought I would pass it along. :)

Wow! Thanks so much Guat! You made my day. Congratulations to you! You are incredibly “hideous” too!

Thanks for thinking of me in the dry inferno of Colorado. The forecasters have been wrong for the last 7 days. We have been getting some rain almost every afternoon and just last night they changed the forecast. We were supposed to be hot and dry for the next 5 days and now we are supposed to get monsoon weather! Yes! I think it was from everyone’s thoughts and prayers!
Have a fantabulous and truly hideous week Guat!

The crazy thing is that the forecasters have been saying it will be nothing but dry and hot. Almost every day we have had these freak storms that come out of no where! Now they are predicting MONSOONS! Yeah! I think it was the whole world praying that helped. Bloggers as far away as Australia have been writing about it and the news is worldwide!
I would love to sit inside my house and listen to the sound of rain!
Thanks Renee!

I don’t know where all the smoke is coming from today, but I can barely make out the mountains and you can see from my photos how clear is was yesterday. Erie is the only place allowing fireworks and they could get grass fires. Fingers crossed.
Thanks so much!

I’m not sure what I’m doing the 4th, but last year I caught a cold so my friend, Coco, photographed the fireworks for me on her iPhone. What a buddy! Urban fireworks appear to be the sanest way to shoot them in Colorado while the entire state seems to be a tinderbox. Great photos and I ALWAYS love to see Roxy in your videos. About you getting carded … That last happened to me last year when I was buying a six-pack at the grocery store I’ve shopped at for nearly 30 years. I was certain it was solely because the clerk who is around my age (and a woman) was just being nosy. I was half tempted to pull out the American Express card I’ve had since 1984, but I didn’t want to make an issue out of it so I forked over my license that she scrutinized for a ten count. Whenever I can avoid going to her, I do. I think she’s a real orifice and not the ear canal. I hope you, Danny, the kids and Roxy all have a great 4th Susie!

It is a super huge (long ) snake that looks like a rattle snake. They just swallow mice which I love! The one I carried out to the garden was about 4 1/2 feet maybe. A little one. I will blog about my new friend!

We always try Audrey!
I think residents are pretty safe barring any high winds. It is pretty smokey out there. They have cancelled all of the fireworks in our area which is a relief. I can’t imagine taking any chances.
Have a wonderful 4th of July Audrey!

I’ve been watching the news and those fires are scary. I hope it rains a lot so they stop. And, over here the 4th of July is celebrated by default, let’s say. There will be fireworks and all that. For me it’s day off so I get to sleep a bit longer than usual, yay!

The Padres can occasionally play baseball but, spoiler alert, they have never won the World Series and I don’t smell it coming any time soon. So the Rockies can relax when they are in town. Win or lose it looks like a fun time at the ballpark!

I also live in an area that is just about yearly threatened by wildfires, although never as bad as what’s going on in your neck of the woods. There have been bad ones here, but the only impact we’ve ever had is hazy skies and that distinct smell that comes with. It’s just about the only natural disaster type of thing we can face. It’s the price we pay to live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We never get hit and face practically no danger from hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunami, radiation, volcanoes, etc. And we’re not strategically important enough to be targeted with missiles. Earthquakes are still a danger but very infrequent. Only a couple in my life so far although they say a big one may someday come.

Are you in California? Sounds like a wonderful spot!
The Rockies are 2nd from last place in our division so I am not shocked that they were beat by the Padres. The pitching coach resigned so we’ll see if the new one makes a difference. It can’t hurt!
Thank you so very much Shoutabyss!

You would see the smoke today. Hopefully by the time you come through, the fires will be under control.
We are safe here across the valley. When we chose where to live, we took fire danger into consideration. Anyone who lives in the foothills takes that risk.
It is tinder dry everywhere and we live near open space so I pray no one throws a lit cigarette out their car window. That’s all it would take for a grass fire to start.
Thanks Linda and Happy Canada Day!

I’m not much of a sport fan, but I love hanging out with friends. As long as someone else attends who cares more about socializing than the game, I’m all there! lol And I LOVE fireworks. Can’t wait to catch them come Wednesday.

21??? No way! I just had to take a photo. They carded everyone I am sure! Hahaha!
Socializing is an important part of every game, but I like watching almost every sport especially the ones I used to play not that I was a jock, but that’s how we entertained ourselves “back in the day!”
Thanks August and have a great 4th of July!

I can’t imagine having 0 minutes or less to pack your car with the most precious possessions. 606 lost everything!

I think it was the concentrated effort of everyone praying, meditating and begging for rain that caused those storms last week. It was crazy since the weather forecasters all said it would be bone dry!
It was fun to go to Denver although it was still hot at 9:00! It usually cools down sooner…Still dancing for rain this week…It is really smokey outside today
Thanks Catherine!

Hahaha! They carded everyone! Thanks CC!
We need some of that rain here… Take a deep breath and blow it on over! WwwooooOOOOooooOOOOooooo! LOL!
Thanks again and have a great week. Are you going to see any of Wimbledon?

We had our fireworks for Canada Day last night.. no doubt we’ll hear a few patriotic American Fireworks on the 4th as well!! Those wildfires are undoubtedly the more frightening natural disaster in my mind. How awful to lose your home.. and if you didn’t, you’d have a devastated community with so much rebuilding that needs doing. Just so sad!

It’s great how our holidays coincide! Go Canada!
It is overwhelming here and yet people have really come out in support. I hope that the people that lost the 257 homes in Fort Collins are not over-shadowed by relief efforts in the Springs. There have been 606 homes lost in the 2 fires alone. It is so hot and dry here. I am going to keep dancing for rain!
Thanks Smidgen!

Gorgeous pics! I’m SO glad the fires are getting under control. The Padres won? Surprises never cease! Yeah, they were probably hating life in the 93degree weather. That’s Africa hot for us So Cal peeps. My mom and aunt have a friendly rivalry going on for their teams – my mom is Padres, my aunt Rockies. it’s fun to watch their facebook walls with the bantering back and forth. I don’t follow baseball, but in the fall I switch between my Broncos and Chargers jerseys. No, I won’t pick a favorite and yes, when they play each other it’s traumatizing. Then again, it’s also win-win.

Well done on your rain dance! Keep it up, the firemen need all the help they can get.

I love the rivalry! So funny! One year the Buffs took on the Wisconsin Badgers so I cut 2 shirts and caps apart and sewed them up for the game. We wore them to the Wisconsin game too! So much fun!
We have 0 humidity here so it is still scary if we have lightning, but firefighters have made great strides. I am sad to see so much smoke on the horizon today. I had hoped to go out and take a better “barn” photo this morning – too much haze. I’m not sure if it is coming up from the Springs or if it is in Boulder. I’ll break out the dance this afternoon!
Thanks Tameri and have a wonderful 4th!

Another home run post! The nana’s look delicious. I see blogs in Australia mentioning the fires in your state, not a cool way to be famous. Wife and I are sad to see how many lives are being torn apart because of the flames. Stay safe out there.

Our city fireworks are held in a park nearby. It’s a freakin’ nightmare to get there ’cause people start showing up at four i9n the afternoon and the parking backs up all the way to where I live. Anyhow some of the locals have their own show so I sit on the back porch and watch that. I’m equally torn between the Mets and Bosox. Do I have to bring my agony out into the public? Loved the pix.